Denial of religious principles ridiculous

When some groups disagree with a certain philosophy, political stance, or course of action, they try to change the historical records. Such is the case with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the nation's largest association of atheists and agnostics. On July 4, they took out a full-page ad in this paper with the title: "Celebrate our GODLESS Constitution." They quoted snippets from the statements of six early American leaders to try to make their point.

It is perfectly ridiculous to suggest that this country's heritage was not founded by religious men on Judeo-Christian principles. The chief writer of the Constitution, James Madison, said, "We have staked the whole of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." Also, the preambles of the constitutions of every one of the 50 states in the Union contain a reference to God. For example, our Mississippi Constitution says, "We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work..."

Our first president, George Washington, said, "It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle." The second and sixth presidents also served as chairmen of the American Bible Society. Fifty-two of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians, and the other three also believed in the Bible.

Many of the federal buildings in Washington have scriptural inscriptions. The Supreme Court building has a display of Moses and the Ten Commandments on the outside and the Commandments inside. The top of the Washington monument has an inscription in huge letters: "Laus Deo" - Latin for "Praise to God."

Only distorted minds can deny our heritage. Let us stand up to these historical revisionists. "In God we trust!"

Peter Gilderson

Madison

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Denial of religious principles ridiculous

When some groups disagree with a certain philosophy, political stance, or course of action, they try to change the historical records.